Growing Together
by nalimom
Summary: Caskett Future Fiction
1. Chapter 1

Kate Beckett rolled over in bed and hugged the pillow to her. She inhaled deeply, longing to fill herself with his scent. Rick Castle had been gone on a book tour for the past three weeks and she was a little disturbed by how much she missed him. She had always prided herself on her independent nature, but somehow he had gotten under her skin. He had made her need him. That was terrifying and very comforting all at the same time.

She looked around the bedroom and smiled at the ease with which she had started to feel at home in his apartment. Even though she kept her own apartment, it was hers in name only. She had not slept there in months, even staying at Castle's when he was out of town. At first she had told herself it was for Alexis' sake, preferring not to leave her at the mercy of Martha's schedule. Now she knew better. She stayed because it was home.

She closed her eyes and settled into his pillow, ignoring the fact that she should have gotten out of bed ten minutes before. Her phone rang and her gut immediately tensed. She had really hoped she could get through the day without a new body dropping. She looked at the caller ID and smiled. Much better.

"Beckett." She answered it, trying to sound professional and slightly annoyed like she normally did when answering her phone. (At least that is what Castle had told her on more than one occasion.)

"Why, Detective Beckett," Castle smiled into his phone. "I was hoping to find you still all snuggled into my bed."

"And why is that, Castle?"

"Because then I can picture myself there with you."

She smiled at the warm feeling spreading through her at the thought. "You say that to all the girls."

"Only you." She was moved by the sincerity in his voice. They were silent for a moment. "I miss you, Kate."

"When can you come back?"

"They've added two more cities."

"What?" Her disappointment was obvious.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too. It's your job, I know. You don't complain when I have to skip out on you for work." She thought about it a moment. "Well, it doesn't bother me when you complain."

"Very funny."

"I've got to get to work." She hated to hang up. "Call me later?"

"Count on it."

"And, Castle…" She said it quickly, to catch him before he hung up. "I love you."

"I love you too, Kate."

Kate sat at her desk, bent over paperwork. It was after eleven PM and she was one of few left in the bullpen. Alexis was on her way to the Hamptons with her friends and Martha seldom came home on Friday night after her show was done. Kate just didn't want to be all alone in Castle's apartment… and she sure did not want to go to hers. Instead, she wrote reports.

She looked up as a cup of coffee was placed in front of her. Her eyes settled on the hand and her heart beat faster.

"How did I know you would still be here?"

The voice as music to her ears. She looked up into his eyes and her breath caught in her chest. She stood and wrapped her arms around him in a bone crushing hug. "What are you doing back?" She asked against his neck.

Castle pulled back and looked around the room. They had been careful until now about keeping their relationship out of the station and he didn't want to jeopardize that now, so he took her by the hand, led her quickly into the break room and shut the door behind them. No sooner had the door latched than his mouth claimed hers in a passionate kiss. He backed her against the counter and pressed his body against hers, his hands immediately finding her ass. He kissed her mouth and her neck, then trailed soft kisses down her chest, the tip of his tongue brushing her skin with each kiss.

"I had to see you." He said breathlessly against her mouth. "I haven't been able to think of anything but you all day." He hugged her to him. "I'm pretty sure I signed every book 'To Kate' today."

Kate laughed, then she kissed him deeply, sliding her hands inside his suit coat and caressing his chest. She started unbuttoning his shirt and took him completely by surprise when she pushed him back on the couch and continued undressing him.

"Really?" He asked hopefully.

"Shhh." She placed her finger on his lips and kissed him.

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Kate thought she heard someone saying her name softly and tried to open her eyes. She squinted against the light coming through the curtains and finally focused on Castle, standing above her, dressed, with his travel bag in his hands. "It can't possibly be morning already." She said in a hoarse voice.

"Sorry to wake you, but I have to get to the airport." He sat next to her and brushed her hair away from her eyes. He bent down and kissed her head.

"Already?"

He nodded.

"How do you look so rested? We can't have slept more than an hour." She observed.

"Lots of practice… before you I mean."

She just shook her head, sat up and pulled him into a hug. "I am so glad you came home, even if it as just for the night."

"And what a night it was…" He added with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Kate pinched him and looked into his eyes with a sad smile. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you more."

"Probably." She joked.

Castle feigned a hurt expression and then he kissed her. "I'll call you when I land."

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Castle walked in his front door ten days later and called for Alexis and Kate. His daughter came from the living room with her boyfriend, both a little red in the face. She hugged him and kissed his cheek while Ashley shook Castle's hand.

"Why do you look winded?" He asked, only half joking.

"Wii Sports!" Ashley responded, panic in his voice.

Castle smiled at his ability to inspire terror in the boy. He nodded. "Is Kate home?" He asked Alexis.

"Yeah. I think she's lying down." Alexis nodded toward the stairs. "She's been fighting the flu or something, but she won't admit she feels bad." She shrugged as if to say 'You know how she is.'

"Thanks, Sweetie." He kissed his daughter on the head and headed for the stairs. He opened his bedroom door as quietly as possible and peered in. Kate was indeed lying down on top of the covers, curled up, hugging his pillow to her. "Kate?" He said softly. She did not stir. He decided not to wake her so he stowed his bag, took off his shoes and jacket and climbed in next to her. He very carefully spooned up next to her and kissed her head, holding his breath for a moment, hoping she wouldn't wake up. He had not known her to nap often, even when she had been awake for days working on cases. If she was napping now, she must truly not feel well. His hand brushed her forehead, looking for fever, but she seemed fine. Maybe she had just been working too hard, he concluded as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her body pressed against his. He smiled at the warm rush of desire he felt as she shifted slightly to make her body fit even more snugly against his. He listened to her rhythmic breathing and watched her as she slept.

Castle felt the need to touch her silky skin, so he reached out with his hand and stroked her arm lightly. How many times had he fallen asleep dreaming about a moment just like this? He wondered.

"Castle?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." He tightened his arms around her and kissed her neck.

She turned to face him and pressed a kiss to his mouth. "I meant to be up before you got home." She hugged him tightly and ran he fingers lightly through his hair. "How long have you been here."

He shrugged, closing his eyes and enjoying the feel of her skin on his. "Not sure." He pressed a kiss into her palm. "Alexis tells me you have been sick."

"I wish she hadn't done that. I'm fine. You don't need to worry."

"I do worry about you. I can't help it."

"I've just been a little run down. It's been crazy at work is all."

Castle looked doubtful. "If you say so." He pulled her into a hug and settle back against the pillows. "Maybe it was just the effects of being away from me for so long. Withdrawal from my amazing good looks."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Why don't we get your daughter and Ashley and go out for some dinner? I think the problem is more likely that I haven't eaten today."

"No." Castle replied with a smile. "It is definitely lack of Castle exposure."

Castle walked into the station with his customary coffees, looking for Beckett at her desk. He looked in the break room and interrogation but didn't see her anywhere. He dialed her phone, but it went straight to voicemail.

"Ryan, have you seen Beckett?" Castle asked, trying to hide the concern he felt. It wasn't like Beckett not to tell him where she was going.

"She took a day off." Ryan replied. "Dentist or doctor or something."

"Bro, she didn't tell you not to come in?" Esposito asked.

Castle shook his head and shrugged trying to display his best bravado. "It's cool. I'll just go return all these calls to Hollywood. So many details to iron out when they are making your book into a big budget film."

"Sure." Esposito said as he walked away.

Castle tried Beckett's cell again as he got in the elevator.

Castle leapt to his feet at the sound of keys in the front door and went to see if Kate was finally home.

"Thank God." He said as he hugged her, then he pushed her back . "Where the hell have you been? I've been worried sick."

Kate looked puzzled. "Why didn't you just call me?" She asked.

"I did, about a hundred times." He said, annoyed now that his worry had been assuaged.

"No you didn't." She pulled her phone from her purse and read the screen. '11 missed calls' "Oh, Castle. I'm really sorry. I forgot I silenced it."

He hugged her again. "It's OK. Esposito said you had taken a day off and… I didn't like not knowing what was going on."

"I'm sorry. I really thought I would be done before you got done with your conference calls this morning. It took longer than I planned."

"What did?"

"I finally decided to go to the doctor and find out why I have been so tired all the time."

"And?" His heart was pounding. "Are you alright."

"Define alright." She looked out the window.

"Kate, please tell me you're not sick."

"No, Rick. I'm not sick. I'm just a little…freaked out."

"You never call me Rick. What's wrong?" His gaze was piercing.

Kate took a deep breath and started to speak a few times before she managed to say the words. "The doctor said that… I…um…" She closed her eyes and when she opened them, she held his gaze and said, "Castle, I'm pregnant."

"What?" He was stunned.

She nodded, looking very nervous. "You OK?" She asked.

"I… Yeah." He replied, looking a little like a deer in the headlights.

"I know it's a lot to sink in. I've been walking around for the past hour thinking about what it means."

"Sure." He was still dazed.

"I know we haven't really talked about kids. I mean… if this isn't something you want…" her voice was full of emotion.

"Hey." He put his hands on her hips as a smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "A baby?" The smile got bigger. "You and I are going to have a baby."

Kate nodded, her eyes filling with tears.

He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground, burying his face in her neck. "Oh, my God."

"So you're happy?"

"I think that at this moment, there can't be a happier man on Earth." His voice broke slightly.

Kate started to cry. "Really?"

"Yeah." He said as he held her tight. He lifted her again and spun her in a circle. "A baby!"

Castle lay in bed, his head resting against Kate's stomach as she stroked his hair. They stayed that way for hours, talking softly about the future.

"You know, Kate, we should get married."

"Come on, Castle." She smiled at him. "We don't need to get married just because you got me pregnant. My dad won't be chasing after you with a shotgun."

Castle laughed. "Jim doesn't seem like the shotgun type." He sat up and looked at her. "How long ago did I find out about the baby?"

"I don't know. A few hours."

He got up and walked to his dresser. He opened the top drawer and pulled out a small light blue box. He turned to face her and smiled at the tears running down her cheeks. He walked back to the bed and sat next to Kate. "I bought this the day after we first made love. I knew long before that."

"Castle…"

He held a finger to her lips. "I wanted this when it was just us. Now I get a family in the deal." He settled his palm against her cheek. "If you'll have me."

Kate opened the box and was pleasantly shocked. Instead of the ostentatious rock she had expected, she saw an antique gold ring with a modest, but perfect diamond in the center. Brilliant blue sapphires flanked the center stone, the amazing color accentuating its flawless shimmer. She stared.

"Do you not like it?" Castle seemed nervous. "We can get anything you want. I just thought you would want something a little… understated."

Kate smiled as she took the ring from the velvet and placed it on her finger. "It's perfect." She whispered. "I love it." She kissed him. "I love you."

"Does that mean yes?"

"Yes."


	2. Chapter 2

"Did the captain ask why you took vacation time?" Castle asked as he settled his head back against the first class airline seat. "You never take time off."

"I think he wanted to ask, but he didn't." She reclined her seatback and closed her eyes. "He just said it was about time I took some time for myself."

"Long overdue." Castle reached over and gently placed his hand on her stomach. "You know, they'll figure out soon enough that you're knocked up." He smiled as her hand covered his. "Then you'll have to tell them about us."

"I could just tell them that I went to a sperm bank." She smiled without opening her eyes.

"They'd never believe it when you had such a picture of male virility next to you every day." He closed his own eyes, a smirk clinging to his lips.

"Esposito?" she countered. "Yeah. He's pretty manly."

His eyes snapped open. "What?"

She laughed and leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her head. Before he knew it, she was asleep, snoring very softly.

Castle smiled and thought about how lucky he was to be married to such an extraordinary woman, especially considering the man he had been before he met her. He could not remember being so happy. He had loved Alexis from the moment she was conceived, but his relationship with Meredith had always been tumultuous. They had been two self-centered hedonists and their daughter had only caused one of them to grow up and take responsibility, for her at least.

His marriage to Gina had been more of the same; two people trying to coexist, each wanting to be the center of attention.

This was different. This was truly a partnership in all things. Kate's happiness and well being were equally important to him. More now that she was carrying his child. Every time he looked at her, he thought about the future they would share and instead of scaring him off, as it would have done in the past, the thought of it made him ridiculously happy.

"Castle?" Kate stirred against his chest.

"Right here, Baby."

Kate sat up in her seat and wiped sleep from her eyes. "How much longer until we land."

Castle looked at his watch. "About half an hour."

"I hope you don't mind going to Hawaii. I know you've been there before."

"I've never been there with you." He kissed her.

"Oh, Castle." She cupped his face with her hand. "Were you always so sappy?" She playfully patted his cheek.

"I know you were fooled by my tough exterior," he kissed her, "but inside I'm a marshmallow." He kissed her neck. "All soft and gooey."

"Castle, not here." she whispered, trying to push him away. He persisted, wearing down her resolve and her hands, which had been pushing against him, started caressing him through his shirt. "People are looking."

"We're on our honeymoon." He said breathlessly against her mouth. "People should stare." He kissed her deeply.

"The captain has turned on the seat belt sign." The flight attendant's voice came over the public address system. "Please return your seat backs to the upright and locked position."

"So much for the mile high club." Castle said as he rested his forehead against hers.

"Are you telling me you're not already a member?" Kate raised an eyebrow. "What kind of wild bachelor life did you lead?"

"One with a lot of things best forgotten." She gave him a quick kiss and they both raised their seat backs to prepare for landing.


End file.
